Just back after 70 minutes

Quoted from MuddyWaters

I advocate a change right now. The players’ body language speaks volumes. They are a pretty talented bunch and the manager doesn’t seem to know what to do with them.

They arent innocent in all this, yes PH signed them, yes they play to his instructions, but some of their body language and lack of fight was so evident today. Again something we’d never expect from a Hurst side. I think you alluded to it earlier, something is not right behind the scenes

Quoted from ska face

Because to me they’ve spent far too much time talking about how aligned they and Hurst are on values - I’m sure most managers would prefer a boss that is supportive and not liable to sack them after 6 games, don’t think Hurst is particularly extraordinary in that respect.

I also think that spell we had in the Conference, where they didn’t sack him, has made a rod for their backs - or they reluctant to try and remove that rod. The context is completely different, sacking Hurst halfway through a season, mid table in the conference looking at a huge loss for the year, destabilising us further. Any new manager would’ve been, in winter 21, the 6th in three years and inheriting a fairly bog standard conference team with the exception of Mcatee.

Context is everything, and we are now a League 2 club with good gates, a decent budget and a squad with some players more than good enough for the level (Maher, Conteh, Rodgers, Eisa), but going backwards quickly. I hope they don’t succumb to the odd attitude prevalent on here that nobody would ever want to come - smacks of a small time, small town view, lacking in ambition.

When we’ve had players who’ve done well for us but been unable to deliver at the next level, they’ve gone with our gratitude and best wishes - look at the likes of Taylor, Cropper, Pearson, Coke, etc. No reason why we shouldn’t take the same view with managers.

I believe they refer to that spell and put it down to the reason they didn't sack him due to the data etc, and all the data showed that we were unlucky and that it'd turn that form around... I hope the same approach isn't taken here because regardless of the stats showing if games finished at half time we'd be leading it's been absolotely terrible. I agree with absolotely everything you say there and you've hit the nail on the head for me.

It'll be the fans to blame next mark my words .Toxic,drunk etc etc
The fans go to back the team it doesn't take much and we will get behind them but I see nothing at all to give me hope at present.Clearly something is wrong within the camp and PH is the guy in charge but the actual games have been getting progressively worse.

He has reverted to the Hurst who was sacked by Ipswich then scunny and took us down without much of a fight. it was pure/outrageous fortune by the football gods we got promoted that year. We were nowhere near the top 2 teams at season end

That was terrible. Really, really bad. We've got some talented players but we've got a very disjointed squad which I think will actually be quite difficult to work with regardless of who comes in if Hurst goes. We've got limited striking options, no pace in the team other than Wilson, no physical presence as an attacking option, very few players capable of going past their man, very little technical ability and nous in the centre of midfield, no capable left back, only two capable centre backs and two keepers who are both quite substantially worse than the one they're replacing.

He's created a rod for his own back by making a squad that has neither the pace, power or physical presence to go long properly but without the ability in midfield to work through the thirds. Having said that, the movement and pattern of play is awful. The gap between Conteh and the defenders to the forward players when we have the ball is huge and results in just aimless hoofs which never amount to anything. The central midfielders just run forward in an aimless straight line creating a static front five. It is mindless stuff, the sort of stuff you see at under 12's. No interplay, no link up, nobody coming short or willing to demand the ball when under pressure. I said at the start of the season we needed more signings in central midfield than just Conteh and nothing has changed my mind in that regard.

But the worst thing is there's no urgency or fight amongst this bunch who are not exempt from criticism at all. They're clearly not playing for Hurst and the performances are getting worse. That on top of no clear and obvious plan or signs of something developing mean it's time for a change. Thank you for everything Paul, I've been a supporter of yours in the past but you've made a real pig's ear of it this season and if we leave it too late we're going to end up in a relegation fight.  

Things are bad at the minute, but Hurst isn't a bad manager, and certainly hasn't become one since the end of the last season.

As I've mentioned on another thread, our recruitment hasn't been good enough. We've lost Crocombe, Smith, McAtee, Lloyd, Emmanuel and Orsi and not replaced them properly.

Quoted from mariner91

That was terrible. Really, really bad. We've got some talented players but we've got a very disjointed squad which I think will actually be quite difficult to work with regardless of who comes in if Hurst goes. We've got limited striking options, no pace in the team other than Wilson, no physical presence as an attacking option, very few players capable of going past their man, very little technical ability and nous in the centre of midfield, no capable left back, only two capable centre backs and two keepers who are both quite substantially worse than the one they're replacing.

He's created a rod for his own back by making a squad that has neither the pace, power or physical presence to go long properly but without the ability in midfield to work through the thirds. Having said that, the movement and pattern of play is awful. The gap between Conteh and the defenders to the forward players when we have the ball is huge and results in just aimless hoofs which never amount to anything. The central midfielders just run forward in an aimless straight line creating a static front five. It is mindless stuff, the sort of stuff you see at under 12's. No interplay, no link up, nobody coming short or willing to demand the ball when under pressure. I said at the start of the season we needed more signings in central midfield than just Conteh and nothing has changed my mind in that regard.

But the worst thing is there's no urgency or fight amongst this bunch who are not exempt from criticism at all. They're clearly not playing for Hurst and the performances are getting worse. That on top of no clear and obvious plan or signs of something developing mean it's time for a change. Thank you for everything Paul, I've been a supporter of yours in the past but you've made a real pig's ear of it this season and if we leave it too late we're going to end up in a relegation fight.  

A great post and one I agree with wholeheartedly.

We have been playing as you describe for weeks and the lack of urgency has been obvious from the start.

The players aren't nearly as good as we all hoped, they all look bit part players. It does indeed look like an under 12 game when we get possession and everybody just runs forward as if the ball is an afterthought.

I feel for Hurst as he must be gutted to see it unravel like this, but as a poster said the players have downed tools; it looks to me they have had enough of the tactics and perhaps feel they would perform better with a fresh approach but whatever happens we will need quite a few signings in January.

Quoted from Blundellite

He has reverted to the Hurst who was sacked by Ipswich then scunny and took us down without much of a fight. it was pure/outrageous fortune by the football gods we got promoted that year. We were nowhere near the top 2 teams at season end

Agree with that

Quoted from davmariner

Things are bad at the minute, but Hurst isn't a bad manager, and certainly hasn't become one since the end of the last season.

As I've mentioned on another thread, our recruitment hasn't been good enough. We've lost Crocombe, Smith, McAtee, Lloyd, Emmanuel and Orsi and not replaced them properly.

If our recruitment hasn't been good enough who are you saying who's fault that was.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

It'll be the fans to blame next mark my words .Toxic,drunk etc etc
The fans go to back the team it doesn't take much and we will get behind them but I see nothing at all to give me hope at present.Clearly something is wrong within the camp and PH is the guy in charge but the actual games have been getting progressively worse.

Fans pay their money and go to watch and support their team, at the same time we expect to be entertained, unfortunately for us this is not happening especially at BP. Maybe Paul Hurst doesn’t believe that producing a team that is entertaining is part of his job and is more concerned with not conceding goals and to that end produces boring team performance’s. Obviously something is not quite right in the dressing room as the players are not performing to anything like their abilities and unfortunately I can’t see it getting any better.UTM